The Parable of the Sower

Here in New Jersey, gardens and small farms are everywhere. The summers are warm and sunny, and there is plenty of rich soil and frequent rain. Even the winter snow helps prepare the ground for the many kinds of fruits and vegetables that are planted here every year.

Our family has a beautiful, little backyard garden. All the rocks have been removed so the seeds we plant can develop strong roots that will reach down deep for moisture even on the hottest days. Every Spring, we turn over the hardened soil and dig in some compost so that the little plants will flourish and yield a harvest that can be shared with our neighbors and friends. Then we lay down a thick mulch so that the garden won’t be overrun with weeds that can choke the young plants. We put cages around the tomato plants and wire fence over the strawberries so they won’t be trampled or nibbled by neighborhood creatures.

So, when we read how Jesus explained the Parable of the Sower to His disciples, we understand what he was talking about: seeds and soil, rocks and weeds. But Jesus wasn’t talking about gardening. It is the very nature of a parable to describe a powerful message in everyday terms and to make a little story convey a great truth.

“The disciples approached Him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ He said to them in reply, ‘Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted'” (Matthew 13:10-11). The footnote to verse 11 says, “Since a parable is figurative speech that demands reflection for understanding, only those who are prepared to explore its meaning can come to know it. To understand is a gift of God, granted to the disciples but not to the crowds.” “Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: ‘You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see'” (Matthew 13:14).

Later, in verse 18, Jesus speaks to His disciples, and He speaks to us, as He begins His explanation of the parable with this command: “Hear then the parable of the sower.” Hear it, not just with your ears but with your heart as well. Hear it, not as a gardener, but as a disciple blessed by God with the gift of understanding. So many of those who sat at the feet of the Master never really heard what He was saying. They heard a story about soil and rocks and weeds, but they missed the voice of God because they were not open to the deeper meaning of the stories Jesus told. The Word of God always carries a message full of wisdom and power. For us to hear the voice of God today, we have to open our ears to the reading of His Holy Word and open our hearts in prayerful reflection. Then the Holy Spirit will open our minds and bless us with the precious gift of understanding.